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The Nationalist Congress Party with 41 legislators will support the confidence motion by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis during a three-day session of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly starting November 10.
The NCP’s decision is good news for Fadnavis because the Bharatiya Janata Party with 121 MLAs is 23 short of a simple majority in the 288-member house. It offers relief to the BJP because former ally Shiv Sena has not yet said it will support the trust vote as it awaits an assurance on ministerial berths. The Sena has indicated if the party does not find a place in the government, its 63 MLAs could sit in the opposition.
The BJP has received support from 14 independents and smaller parties. The Congress with 42 MLAs has announced it will oppose the confidence motion. The Peasants and Workers Party, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Bharatiya Republican Party-Bahujan Mahasangh have announced that they too will not support the motion.
On October 19, the day election results were declared, the NCP had announced its unconditional outside support to a BJP government. The BJP plans to bring in a one-line confidence motion on November 13, the concluding day of the three-day session. The motion will be put for vote after election of the Maharashtra assembly speaker.
A former Union minister from the NCP who did not want to be named told Business Standard, “The NCP will vote for the motion. Our party has taken a decision in this regard. Our members will remain present in the assembly and not abstain.” He clarified his party was open to the government initiating an inquiry into an alleged irrigation scam and other corruption cases.
Meanwhile, a BJP minister said it was a good gesture by Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray to attend the swearing-in ceremony. The gesture came after Thackeray was assured his party would be accommodated in the government. “The Sena will have to take a call whether to join the government and support the confidence motion. Talks are on,” the BJP minister said.
